What happened
Large portions of the West and East coasts were enveloped by extreme heat over the weekend, with deadly temperatures recorded in several cities. California's Death Valley, consistently one of the hottest areas on Earth, set a new record on Saturday, reaching 128 degrees Fahrenheit, while Las Vegas and Arizona saw similar highs. On the other side of the country, heat indexes reached 110 degrees in Maryland and Washington D.C., and in areas throughout the South, including Florida, Georgia and Alabama.
An excessive heat warning — the National Weather Service's highest alert — was in effect on Sunday for about 36 million people, or about 10% of the population.
Who said what
Climate change caused by humans is "fueling longer and more intensive heat waves, and making dangerously high temperatures more common," NPR said. These types of conditions are "potentially deadly if not taken seriously," said the National Weather Service.
What next?
The "persistent" heat wave is expected to "shatter new records" as temperatures keep climbing in the coming days, NBC News said. In parts of the Pacific Northwest, including Oregon, temperatures "are forecast to stay between 100 to 105 degrees through Tuesday night," said NPR. Nationwide, a total of 40 million people are expected to swelter in temperatures of more than 100 degrees over the next week.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
How will the new Repayment Assistance Plan for student loans work?the explainer The Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) will replace existing income-driven repayment plans
-
In the Spotlight Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has been at odds with US forces
-
Music reviews: Ethel Cain, Amaarae, and The Black KeysFeature "Willoughby Tucker, I'll Always Love You," "Black Star," and "No Rain, No Flowers"
-
Cloudbursts: what are the 'rain bombs' hitting India and Pakistan?The Explainer The sudden and intense weather event is almost impossible to forecast and often leads to deadly flash-flooding and landslides
-
What do heatwaves mean for Scandinavia?Under the Radar A record-breaking run of sweltering days and tropical nights is changing the way people – and animals – live in typically cool Nordic countries
-
Blue whales have gone silent and it's posing troubling questionsUnder the radar Warming oceans are the answer
-
Acid rain is back: the sequel nobody wantedUnder The Radar A 'forever chemical' in rainwater is reviving a largely forgotten environmental issue
-
Why is the world so divided over plastics?Today's Big Question UN negotiations on first global plastic treaty are at stake, as fossil fuel companies, petrostates and plastic industry work to resist a legal cap on production
-
Tuvalu is being lost to climate change. Other countries will likely follow.Under the Radar Sea level rise is putting islands underwater
-
Melting glaciers may lead to more volcanic eruptionsUnder the radar We're in for a boom
-
Europe's heatwave: the new front line of climate changeIn the Spotlight How will the continent adapt to 'bearing the brunt of climate change'?
